Machine for cutting knitted fabrics



(No Model.)

.2 Sheets-Sheet 1. N.H.BRUOE. MACHINE FOR CUTTING KNITTED FABRICS.

Patented Nov. 25

m. 3. M a m a 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(No Model.)

NIH. BRUCE. MACHINE FOR GUTTING KNITTED PABRIGS. No. 441,532.

Patented Nov. 25, 1890.

a IEEEH r I a ae war UNITED STATES ATENT OFFICE.

NORMAN II. BRUCE, OF \VATERFORD, NEXV YORK.

MACHINE FOR CUTTING KNITTED FABRICS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 441,532, dated November 25, 1890.

Application filed July 5, 1890- Serial No. 357,840. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, NORMAN H. BRUCE, a citizen of theUnited States, residing at Waterford, in the county of Saratoga and State of New York, have invented new and useful Improvements in Machines for Severing the Cuffs or Wristbands for Knitted Underwear, of which the following is a specification.

The object of my invention is to provide a cutting-machine for rapidly, neatly, and uniformly severing the cuifs or Wristbands for knitted underwear, which cuffs or wristbands are knitted in series with intervening ribs or welts that mark the line of separation between said cuffs and constitute a self-binding for the free edge thereof after the said cuff or wristband has been attached to a sleeve in the usual and well-known manner.

The invention consists in the construction and combination of parts in a cutting-machine, as hereinafter described and claimed, whereby a series of connected cuffs or wristbands for knitted underwear can be neatly, uniformly, and rapidly severed in close contact with a welt or rib Without snipping or fraying, and so that the said welt will constitute a durable self-binding for the cuff.

In the annexed d rawings, illustrating the invention, Figure 1 is a perspective view of a machine for cutting apart or severing cuffs that are knitted or woven in series with in-- tervening welts. Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal section of the machine. Fig. 3 is a vertical cross-section of the machine. Fig. 4 is an enlarged view showing the table in cross-section and the gage and knives in end elevation.

Referring to the drawings, the numeral 1 designates a base or support, from which rises the front standards 2 and rear standards 3, on which the table at is supported.

At the rear end of the machine, adjacent to one of the rear standards and preferably bolted thereto, as shown in Fig. 2, is arranged an upward and forward projecting arm 5, from the forward end of which is suspended a gage 6, that has a vertical and lateral adj ustment, as presently explained. The outer side of the arm 5 is provided near its end with a vertical groove or guideway that receives a guide 7 on abracket or angle-iron 8, secured to the arm 5 by a set-screw 9, so as to permit a vertical adjustment of said bracket. The horizontal arm of the bracket 8 is provided with an elongated slotlO, Fig. 3, to receive a thumb-screw 11, that engages the horizontal arm of a bracket 12, to which the gage6 is attached, so that by loosening the set-screw 11 the gage can be adjusted laterally to or from the cutting mechanism,while by means of the set-screw 9 it can be adjusted vertically to correspond to the thickness of the material to be cut.

Attached to the outer side of one of the front standards 2, and partly projecting upward into one side of the slot 13, adjacent to the rear end of the gage 6, is a vertically-adjustable stationary knife 14, the lower end of which may rest on a shoulder 15, formed on the outer side of the standard. The station ary knife 14 is provided with an elongated slot 16 for passage of a set-screw 17, by which said knife is secured, and when the knife is raised, after previously loosening said screw, a shim may be placed beneath the lower end of the knife to support it before again tightening said screw.

The vibratory knife 18 is carried by -Tthe forward end of a lever or rocker-arm 19,= that is pivotally supported between the rear standards of the machine, The knife 18 is also vertically adjustable by means of a set screw 2O engaging an elongated slot in the knife, and, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3, the upper end of this knife is arranged beneath a ledge or projection 21, formed on one side of the lever 19, and in which are located set screws 22, that are moved downward to form a bearing for the knife when it is adjusted downward to compensate for wear of the cutting-edge or for other purposes.

To the lower end of the lever or rocker-arm 19, below its pivotal centerior bearings 23, is loosely attached the rear end of a pitman 24, the forward end of which-"connects by a strap 25 with an eccentric 26on the shaft 27, to which is secured a pulley or belt-wheel 28, through which power is applied to actuate the lever or rocker-arm 19 and attached vibratory knife.

One side of the table 4 is formed with a downward and outward inclined surface 29, that extends from the vertical plane of the gage 6 to the edge of the table, as clearly shown in Figs. 3 and 4. By constructing the table in this manner the welt 30 of the cuff fabric 31 can be brought in close contact with thelower beveled edge of the gage 6, and be so slanted or inclined, as shown in Fig. 4, that the knives will be enabled to cut slightly beneath the welt, and thereby sever the fabric close to said welt without irregular shipping.

The fabric is fed to the machine by hand in the posit-ion shown in Fig. 4, which represents a portion of that end of the machine which is toward the operator. By placing both hands on the fabric-one on each side of the gage 6-the operator can feed the fab ric backward beneath the gage 6 and between the cutting-edges of the knives 14 and 18 at the same time, by means of the right hand drawing the fabric sufficiently to the right to hold the welt 30 closely against the beveled side of the gage 6, so that while the fabric is being fed along the table to the action of the knives they will rapidly sever it close to and slightly beneath the welt without irregular snipping, thus enabling the knives to make a clean and uniform cut. The elongated gage 6 is of such length and projects so far in advance of the cutting mechanism as to afford a long guide for the welt in front of the point where the fabric is being cut, so that it will be severed in a straight line slightly beneath the welt by reason of the inclination given to one side of the table, as before explained.

The arm 5 and lever 19 are so formed and arranged with relation to each other that while the knife 18 is supported in position to vibrate alongside the rear portion of the gage 6 the said arm 5 and lever 19 occupy only a comparatively narrow space, so that they will not obstruct the parting of the fabric as it moves backward in rear of the cutting mechanism. The cutting-edge of the lower stationary knife let is horizontal, while the cutting-edge of the upper vibratory knife 18 is beveled from front to rear, as shown in Fig. 2, so as to give a shear cut. By means of the hereinbetore-described adjustments provided for the stationary knife 14, vibratory knife 18, and gage 6, the machine can be readilyadapted to the cutting of fabrics of different thickness, the knives can be adjusted to take up wear, and the gage can be moved laterally to or from the cutting mechanism, as required.

lVhile the machine is especially designed for cutting apart cuffs or wristbands that are knitted in series to be separated and attached to the sleeves of underwear in a well-known manner, itis obvious that the described cutting mechanism, gage, and inclined table can be used with advantage for rapidly and properly severing other ribbed or welted fabrics that require to be cut uniformly and without injury or defacement,such as is liable to occur from the use of hand-shears.

What I claim as my invention is 1. The combination, with avertical stationary knife and a vertical vibratory knife, of a vertically and laterally adjustable gage adjacent to said knives, and a table having one side inclined downward and outward from said gage to support and guide a welted or ribbed fabric while it is being fed to the action of said knives, substantially as described.

2. The combination of a table having one side inclined downward and provided with a slot adjacentto the junction of its inclined and horizontal surfaces, a stationary knife supported beneath the table with its cutting edge arranged in one side of said slot, a vertical vibratory knife supported above the table, and a gage supported above the table to afford a guide and bearing fora rib or welt in thefabric to be out, which is to be fed to the cutting mechanism along the inclined and horizontal surfaces of the table with the welt or rib in contact with the side of said gage adjacent to the inclined side of the table, whereby the fabric is severed close to and slightly beneath said welt, substantially as described.

3. The combination of a table havingahori- Zontal surface and an outwardly and clownwardly inclined surface, an arm projecting forward above said table, a vertically and laterally adjustable gage suspended from the forward end of said arm above the junction of the horizontal and inclined surfaces of the table, a lower stationary knife, and an upper vibratory knife, whereby a welted or ribbed fabric, such as cuffs or wristbands knitted in series, may be fed to the said knives along said table and gage and be severed in close contact with and slightly beneath a welt, substantially as described.

4. The combination of a slotted table partly inclined downward and outward to one side, an arm projecting forward above said table, an elongated gage suspended from the forward end of said arm, a lower stationary knife, an upper vibratory knife, a lever or rockerarm carrying the vibratory knife, a pitman connected with said lever, and a shaft providcd with a driving-pulley and having an eccentric connected with said pitman, sub stantially as described.

5. The combination, wit-h the lowerstationary knife and the upper vibratory knife, of an elongated gage adjacentto said knives for guiding to the knives a ribbed or welted fabric, such as the cuffs or wristbands of knitted underwear, connected in series, and a table partly inclined downward and outward from the gage, substantially as and for the purpose described.

In testimony whereof I have aflixed my signature in presence of two witnesses.

NORMAN ll. BRUCE.

lVitnesses:

PERCY B. HILLS, JAMES A. RUTHERFORD. 

